Vehicle latch



Patented Dec. 29, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CARL MACK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO MACK LOGI?` CO. INC., OIE LONG ISLANB CITY, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

VEHICLE LATCH.

Application filed September 21, 1921.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL MACK, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough and county of Queens, in the city and State of New `fork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Vehicle Latch, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a noiseless door latch, used particularly in automobiles, trucks, and other vehicle doors.

Also it is of the greatest advantage to the above mentioned trades. Provisions are made for its use on ocean Steamers, launches, motor boats, yachts, houses, or wherever a latch with absolute locking qualities is required.

One of the objects of this invention is to produce an improved latch for the doors set forth, which has two or more locking points, whereby a twisted door is immediately brought into alignment.

A further object is to eliminate the rubber or spring bumpers, used at present to take up the play, required between the keeper on the post, and the bolt of the latch in all locks used at present.

Another object is that the keeper which is attached to the post entirely surrounds the bolts of the iatch simultaneously preventing` vertical and horizontal motion, thereby preventing any rattling which cannot be prevented b v the methods used at present.

Still another object is the provision of a latch of the kind specified whereby two or more bolts are simultaneously removed from the keeper; but provisions are made whereby each bolt has an independent movement foi' advanced or return motion as it is often required by the swaying of the doors on vehicles traveling over rough roads.

A still further object is that the front ends of the bolts where they engage into the keeper are tapered to match the tapered holes in said keeper. These tapered provis'ons create an expanding force between the front post where the keeper is fastened, the locking bolts engaged and the rear post where the door is hinged. Thereby obviatingr rattling caused by any play in the ii or differentiations in the position of :he 'front er rear posts, which are produced by the change of the alignment on the base Serial No. 502,132.

of the vehicles traveling over rough roads or standing on unleveled ground.

An additional object is a provision made whereby the operating handle (or lever) is manipulated in a segmental recess within the lock casing. This prevents injuries to the body and clothes of the passenger entering or leaving the vehicle thereby coming in contact with the handles of the present latches which conspicuously extend out on the inner walls of the doors.

Another advantage is created by the use of spiral springs in operating the plunger which gives greater locking power and longer life, than the helical springs used in present latches. Y

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as the specification proceeds.

With the aforesaid object in view, the

invention consists of the improvements, "f

novel construction arrangements and coinbinations of parts hereinafter described, defined in the subjoined claims, and illustrated in this preferred embodiments by the annexed drawings, wherein like ele-,

ments are designated by the same reference characters thruout.

In the said drawings Fig. l shows a horizontal sectional view of my improved latch and part of a doorframe and a door on which the latch is mounted. y

Fig. 2 shows Athe latch in elevation and with the moving parts in the relative posi tions which they assume when the bolts are shot.

F ig. 8 is an end elevation of the latch with parts of the door on which it is mounted.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view of a portion of the latch, door and frame, showing the door as closing and a bolt about to enter its keeper.

Fig. 5 is a similar view to F ig. et, and shows the bolt as fully shot into the keeper and the door drawn tightly against the pillar.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view of a partof the latch-casing and its cover plate.

Fig. .7 is a view in elevation similar to Fig. 2, but with the moving parts shown in their relative positions at the time the bolts retracted by the depression of the manually actuated operatingfmember.

l? ig. 8 is an enlarged detail view ot the operating-member, with its outer end broken away.

Referring to the drawings, l designates the latch casing and Q, a detachable cover plate which is attached to said casing by screw-bolts 2a. Bolts 3, 3, are mounted respectively at the upper and lower ends of the casing, in suitable bearings 3a, 3, and have a reciprocating movement so that they can be projected from the edge ot the casing and retracted within the saine. Each bolt is surrounded with` ay coiled or helica spring 4t, the inner end ot which abuts against the tace ol the inner bearing 3, while the outer end takes against a shoulder sin, on the bolt and each spring acts to normally keep the bolt shot to its tull extent if tree, and these springs have considerable power in such action. ri'lhe engaging ends of the bolts are cut away or tapered at ll, and protrude into a correspondingly shaped conical keeper socket ll, on the pillar 20, against which the edge ot the door 21, closes, the latch being mounted on the door as indicated in the drawings; the pillar being beveled as at 20, so that the spring pressed bolt with its tapered end can be forced inwardly thereby and caused to snap into its keeper, as shown in Fig. 4, and then shot home as shown in Fig. 5, with the door drawn tightly against its pillar.

The upper bolt 3, is provided .upon its under side with a recess or notch 3", having inwardly sloping iat sides which are engaged by the upper end of the actuator' 7, of the said bolt, the actuator being in the forni of a rocker-lever moving on the pivot 12, in the plane of the reciprocating bolt.

The lower bolt 3, is likewise provided upon its upper side with a notch or recess 3", having inwardly inclined fiat sides which are engaged by the lower end of a corresponding actuator S, also in the 'torni ot a rocker-lever having its rocking movement on the pivot l2, and moving in the plane of said bolt.

A swinging manually actuated operatingmember, or master actuator is mounted in the casing to turn with an arbor or stem 5, and is located substantially between said bolt-actuators 7 and 8. and is common to both of the sameias an operating device. The inner and free end oij the member is provided with a handle finger piece 5b. and the range of movement of the member is between the upper and lower positions thereof, shown respectively in lll 9. and 7, the plane in which said member swings being` parallel to the plane in which the bolts and their actuators move. (in a part of the actuator or lever 7, below its pivotal point. is arranged a cani-infami 9, over which rides; or slides a lateral projection or lug lil, on the operating-member, so that when the member is pressed down by hand trom the position shown in Fig. 2, to that shown in F ig. 7, said lug will force down the arm of said actuator and move the upper end thereof inwardly and thereby retract the Lipper bolt against the action of its spring. 'Vhen released, the operating member will be automatically swung back into its upper and normal position by the action of the spring actuated bolt on the actuator 7, the engagement of the `.upper end ot said actuator with the flat faces of the bolt-notch 3, serving to prevent the bolt from turning on its longitudinal axis.

The lower bolt 3, is' actuated in substantially the way described for the upper one, by means of the corresponding actuator S, having its upper part above its pivotal point engaged at 10, by a cam or part 22, on the under side ot' the operating-member lli/hen the said member is depressed to retract the bolts, the cam 22, which is normally spaced away from the upper arm of actuator 8, pushes upon said arm and moves it outwardly, thereby throwing the lower end of the actuator inwardly and drawing the bolt in against the action of its spring. When the member 5, is released the bolt-spring acts through its bolt to move the lower arm of said actuator 8, outwardly, and the upper arm inwardly and against thel cam 22 of the member, thereby forcing the member upwardly into normal position. Thus the spring of each bolt serves to shoot the bolts, and restore the actuators and the operatingmember to their normal positions, shown in Fig. 2. The swinging operating-member 5, is accessible from one side o'l the door, which is the inside when used on a motor-car door, and while I have not shown another handle or knob upon the outside, it .will ot course bei' understood that such a handle is to be used by attaching the same in the usual way to the stem or arbor 5, which is turned by the member 5, so that the operation ot this outside handle will swing the operatingmember 5 downwardly and cause the bolts to be retracted as hereinbefore described.

The space between the contacting part 22, of the operating-member 5, and the upper part 10, of the lower-bolt actuator 8, provides a certain amount of lost motion between said parts, and this causes the upper bolt to be retracted in advance of the lower one, as the upper actuator 7, is moved immediately upon the initial movement of the operating-member, and the upper bolt is retracted somewhat further than the lower one in the final position of the operatingn'iember. The construction and arrangements of the parte is suoli that either of the bolts may be 'forced inwardly against the action of its spring, a certain distance,

without effecting the movement of the other bolt and without actuating the corresponding actuator or the swinging-member, so that the bolts are independent of each other in such inward movement. The longitudinal dimension of each of the notches 3, being sufficient to provide considerable range of lost motion between the bolt and its actuator, as indicated in the drawings, this permits of the independent movement of the bolts, and further independence of action between the bolts is afforded by having the actuators practically disconnected from the swinging operating-ineinber. lith a set of bolts having this independence of action, the vehicle door whenever it is twisted out of alinement with its pillar by' the contorting action of the traveling car or vehicle, is at once automatically forced back into alinement by the bolt-spring which has been slightly compressed by the twisting action of the door, exerting its force outwardly and causing the conical end of the bolt to wedge itself back into the conical socket of the keeper and thereby draw the door tightly into full closed position. This is an important feature of my invention and doors that are thus twisted out of alinement, either by having the upper end twisted out, or the lower end so twisted, can easily and quickly be brought back into place by the independent relation of the multiple bolts.

ln order to prevent sidewise play of the actuators 7 and 8, and also of the operatingmember 5, which might cause a rattling noise, I provide each of them with laterally expanding means located around their pivotal points and indicated by the numeral 13. These devices 13, are in the form of spring discs or washers which are interposed between the wall of the casing and plate and the side of the moving part, so as to press laterally against said surfaces with spring action and thereby provide sufficient friction to prevent rattling. These spring devices also take the place of the usual boss which is formed on the Wall of the casing and plate around the pivotal point, and which have to be machined to finish them.

Further provision is made to prevent rattling of the operating-member 5, by arranging a helical-spring 17, in a suitable orifice in said member near its outer free end with cover pieces or plates 16, placed over each side of the orifice and engaged by the respective ends of the spring so as to press outwardly each plate 16, the plates themselves being of yielding or resilient material and being held in place by rivet 18, passing through said member 5. These friction plates 16, are so located as to bear upon a curved ridge or part 19, formed f on the wall of the casing, on the one side and a similar ridge or rib 19, formed on the cover plate 2, as shown more particularly in Fig. 6. This tends to hold the swinging-member in any required position and prevents all play and rattling of the same. h

The ribs 19, are curved substantially on an arc described by a point on said member where the ribs make contact with the friction plates 16.

The rear part of the casing 1, is extended in P curved recess 15, in which the handle or finger piece a, may move down and up in .the operation of said member'. The casing-flange at its upper and lower ends is somewhat thickened to provide material for the screw-holes 25, which receive the screws 26, passing through the upper and lower ends of the escutcheon plate 6, which is made in the form of an open frame curved to conform substantially to the path over which the finger-piece of the operating-member 5, swings. The escutcheon plate has an inwardly extending flange around the inner edge of the frame form which engages the casing flange and the edge of the cover plate, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, and this arrangement affords a clamping means for the cloth or leather lining of the vehicle door.

The casing with its plate and contained parts, is set in the corner of the door 21, as shown in Figs. 1, 3, t and 5, and is held 1n place by the screws 21, shown in Figs. 2 and 7, the pillar or door frame being shown at 20, with the keeper sockets of conical 1 form shown at 11a.

One of the important advantages of my present form of lock is that the locking bolts are independent of each other in their actions. The door, therefore, can be closed without operating the inside or outside handle, which are only used for opening the door by retracting the bolts. The 'independent closing action of the bolts gives greater locking security to the door,4 for if one or more of the bolts should get out of order, the remaining bolts would still function to hold the door in securely locked condition. In locks where the bolts act as a unit and one of them is not properlyT seated, the door cannot be closed. My inl dependently operating bolts do not need any especial fitting or adjusting as they are self-adjusting.

While certain preferred embodiments of this device are herein shown and described, it will be understood that changes in the form, proportions, sizes and details may be made, without, however, departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

CJI

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Pat'- ent is;

l. In a latch, a set of bolts, corresponding actuators for e'ach of said bolts, an operating member' common to said bolt-actuators, and means for causing' one of said bolts to move in advance ot the other when operated.

2. In a latch, a plurality of bolts and spring means serving to keep the bolts normally shot, each bolt having an actuator, a operating-member common to said actuators of the bolts and serving when moved in one direction to so act upon said actuag tors as to cause them to retract said bolts against the action of the spring means, said bolts each being tree to be independently forced inv the retra'cting-direction when the engaging' ends thereof are pressed upon and constructed and arranged so that one bolt moves in advance ot the other in both directions of movement thereof.

3. In a latch, a set of bolts and spring means serving to maintain them pressed outwardly in the direction in which they are shot, each bolt having an actuator, an operating-member cooperating with each ot said actuators and constructed and arranged so that when moved in one direction it operatively moves said actuators and retracts said bolts, the o perative connections between each et said actuators and respective bolts beingsuch that each bolt independently of the others may be moved inwardly in the retractino-direction when its engaging end is forced in such direction and may return into shot position one in advance ot the other.

t. In a latch, multiple bolts and'spring means for normally keeping the bolts shot, each bolt having an actuator serving to retract its bolt, an ope ating-member common to all of said bolt-actuators and actuating v the same to retract the bolts, said parts being constructed and arranged so that one ot the bolts may be retracted in advance oit the other.

In a latch, a set of bolts and spring means tor normally keeping the bolts shot, each bolt having a rocker-lever actuator one arm of which operatively engages the bolt to retract it against the action ot'the spring means, a swinging operating-inember engaging the'other arm of each rocker` lever and moving it to retract its bolt.

G. In a latch, a set of bolts and lspring means for normally keeping the'bolts shot, each bolt having a rocker-lever actuator one arm of which operatively engages the bolt in such manner as to provide lost motion therebetween, and a swinging operating! member engaging the other arm of each rocker-lever and i'noving it to retract the bolt.l

T. In a latch, a set of bolts and spring means acting normallyl to torce the bolts into shot positions, each holthaving rocker-leverl actuator one arm ot which f gages the bolt to retract it agaii tion ot' the spring means, and a swn operating-member engaging the other aim. ot cachot said rocker-levers and moving it to retract' its bolt, the arrangement and construction being such that lost motion is provided between' said operating-member and one of'said rockerslevers.

S. In a latch, a set ot' reciprocating bolts each having a spring acting to torce it ncrn'ially intov shot position, a rorkeilefer aetuator tor each bolt having. oi e arm therei'it in operatire' relation therewith so as to retract thc bolt, a swinging operating-memher cooperating with all of said rocker-levers and serving when moved in one direction to retract the bolts against the action ot' said springs, and when said operatinoj-mem'ber is released said springs serving to shoot the bolts and to move said rocker-levers and operating-m'ember back into normal posh tions.

9'. In a latch, a plurality otrecipro'cating bolts having spring means tor normally keeping the bolts shfot, a rocker-.lever actuator for each bolt moving substantiallj,r in the plane ofthe bolts and having one arm cooperating'with the' bolt so' to' tt it, a manually operated swinging operatingmember common to all of' said rocker-lever actuators tor moving them to retract the bolts, and saidv swinging member moving substantially in' the plane oit said rocherlevers;

10'. In a latch, a set of bolts and spring means acting to normally keep the bolt' l shot, a rocker-lever actuator tor each of said bolts and having one arm thereo'tl cooperating with said bolt to retract it, a 'swinging operating-member having its axis ol motie-n parallel with those ot said rocker-levers, lil) said operating-inember having at dnl-ferent points parts engaging the other arms oi' said rocker-levers when said member is moved in the direction to retract the bolts.

ll. In a latch, a set of bolts recipro ating in parallel relation and spring means for normally keeping said bolts shot, an actuating rocker-leverarranged substantially at right-angles to each of saidl bolts, and a swinging-operating-member common to both of said rocker-levers and disposed between the same and substantially parallel with said bolts.

l2. In a latch, a plurality of bolts and spring means for normally keeping them shot, an actuator for each bolt torretracting it against the action ot said spri g means, and a swinging operating-memher common to said actuators for moving them to retract the bolts, and oppositely arranged IGS ric ges for engaging opposite sides of said member to prevent lateral play thereof.

13. In a latch, a set of bolts and spring means for normally 'forcing' said bolts into shot posit-i011, an actua-tor for each bolt for retractng it, a swinging operating-member cooperating with each of said actuators for moving the same to retract the bolts, said member being provided with laterally eX- pandng sprnT means for engaging Xed area-s on the lock to provide friction at such points and prevent the parts from rattlno.

CARL MACK. 

